Wake up following a heart attack

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

On 2/2/12 I had a heart attack. I felt fine when I got up that morning but around 10:00 I got a pain in my back shoulder area. I kept putting it off as a pinched nerve/muscle and tried all of the usual treatments; e.g. heating pad, ibuprofen and eventually a hot shower. When I got out of the shower and my face was totally white I decided it was time to head to the E.R. to find out what was going on. I drove myself 17 miles to the hospital and when I walked in and told the receptionist what was happening she jumped up and ran to get the nurse. Long story short the nurse took one look at me and hooked me up to the EKG machine.

She looked up at me and told me that I was in the middle of having a heart attack. It still didn't compute that that was what was happening. I still had it in my head that it was just a pinched nerve until within 45 minutes I had been given a clot buster drug and was in the ambulance headed to Olympia to St. Peter Hospital. In the days following I had a heart catherization and two stents placed in the Right Coronary Artery (RCA).

Upon release from the hospital I was told that I needed to drop 30 pounds, change my diet and stop smoking. To date I have not managed to do any of those things. I have cut back on my smoking - down to one carton of cigarettes a month from 4 cartons a month. My weight teeters back and forth from 150# to 155#. My eating habits have changed some, but not near enough. I really have a hard time making myself eat healthy. I currently work 2 days a week in a Quicky Mart and eat the deep fried food.

Today I have decided it is time to really get serious about making some changes in my lifestyle. I have an appointment on Friday to sign up at a gym. I am going to meet with a Member Services employee and we are going to sit up a program with a weight loss and cardio emphasis. I WILL make myself drive 68 miles (one way) 3 times a week to work the program.